Through an interactive and collaborative stakeholder engagement process, this project will coordinate a strategy--including programs, policies, and specific projects--that leverages art and design to promote a rich and compelling rural economy that is both resilient to the impacts of climate change and representative of our diverse community. This project is supported by an Our Town grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and is being implemented through a partnership between the Mariposa County Planning Department and Mariposa County Arts Council, Inc. (MCACI)

Promote a portfolio of authentic, engaging experiences that encourage tourists to stay in--rather than simply pass through--Mariposa en route to Yosemite. In turn, this will have a profound impact on local businesses and artists;

Increase community attachment and civic engagement by promoting equitable placemaking investments and production of placemaking deliverables that are more representative of Mariposa’s diverse and rich identity;

Establish cross-sector partnerships between the arts community, government agencies, conservation and agricultural interests, tribal populations, human services organizations, and businesses to increase our community's capacity to apply creative placemaking in support of our economy; and

Integrate creative placemaking efforts into existing and future infrastructure and other community assets.

The Planning Department and Mariposa County Arts Council are looking for interdisciplinary teams led by planners, artists, and/or designers with a demonstrated ability to think innovatively about engagement, and who plan to go beyond traditional planning practices to devise a unique, inclusive, and effective engagement strategy. Successful teams will include or be led by practicing artists who articulate a clear vision for engaging the community in creative placemaking topics through art. The engagement project will be used to identify existing creative placemaking resources, articulate a collective creative placemaking vision, and discuss, recommend, and prioritize actions to advance that vision. While potential techniques could include in situ audio/visual interviews or producing “meeting in a box” materials to facilitate decentralized community meetings, we look forward to being challenged by provocative and innovative art-led proposals.

Additional information related to these and other Mariposa County projects and supporting information can be viewed and downloaded from the County’s website.